


Smoke Break

by Mysticmataki



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, My Vanderwood / MC Shipping heart is pulling for them LOL, Smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-10
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2020-02-29 07:33:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18774121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mysticmataki/pseuds/Mysticmataki
Summary: Vanderwood thought the RFA was just a simple charity group, but upon being dragged by Seven to a castle in the mountains to rescue the group’s leader and an unknown woman he’s completely lost his ability to think straight.God he needs a cigarette. And some time alone. But that weird woman seems to want a break too.





	Smoke Break

Vanderwood was angry.

No, he was furious.

 

Without warning Seven had pulled him into his car, driven like a mad man for hours only to bring him to a castle like structure, settling back into panic mode as he explained that they were there to rescue some members of the RFA. They had broken into this heavily guarded building, ran down to the basement, and found a young blonde woman with rage in her eyes and venom in her voice threatening the people he could only assume were the ones Seven had rushed in to save. A blue haired man laid on the ground, telling the woman he never loved her while another woman was by his side, holding onto him as he barely hung on.

He followed behind as Seven helped them escape as the woman in black started to cry out, her breath ragged as she cried about a love lost, her screams echoing through the hallways as they made their way outside. Dashing to the car, Seven threw the man and woman in the back, hopped in the front and without a warning sped off into the dark, yelling about a safe house as he ordered Vanderwood to check on the man writhing in pain in the back.

Through the chaos he couldn’t help but glancing at the brunette, calm and irrationally composed as they sped through the night, trying to put as much distance between themselves and “Rika”, who he had inferred was the woman abusing them when they arrived. The unknown woman was incredibly attentive to the poisoned man, quickly answering any questions Seven threw her way without fanfare, and overall incredibly focused despite the hell she had been pulled from. To be honest it alarmed him, but he couldn’t think about that as he focused on performing first aid, and remembering everything he had been taught about poisons and how to cure them from the agency while Seven repeated the same questions over and over, his nervousness radiating through the car and putting him on edge.

That all seemed so far away though, as they had arrived at the safe house an hour back and immediately got to work, Seven losing himself in his computer as he tried to protect them from ‘the hacker’, Vanderwood tending to the man named V in the back, and that random brunette hopping from room to room, doing whatever she could to help. As he watched her move around, doing anything she was asked without a second thought, he found himself getting aggravated. She was too calm for this, too willing to do whatever she was told, and he had to get away from it.

“Seven, I’m stepping outside. If that guy starts to foam at the mouth or something call me,” he said with a dark look on his face as he went to the door, determined to have a smoke and clear his head.

Seven had just thrown him a thumbs up, headphones still on as his eyes never left the screen, but another voice called out that almost shocked him.

“Could I join you?”

Vanderwood turned around, glancing back to see the woman, her hands clasped tightly together as she looked at him with a tense face. It startled him to see her like that, but despite his better judgement and desire to just be alone he nodded and opened the door. The way her shoulders sagged in relief made him falter once again. She had to have been nervous, had to have been been terrified, she just didn’t try to show it at all as things were falling apart and he hadn’t realized it at all. 

Stepping out into the cold air, she followed behind him as the door shut and they walked in silence a little ways away from the cabin. They were deep in the mountains, and for once Vanderwood was unsettled by how intensely quiet everything was. Moments before there had been yelling, aggressive clacking of a keyboard, and the gasps of a man in intense physical shock. Now there was only the crunching of twigs and leaves beneath their feet, not a word shared between them as she followed him mindlessly.

Finally stumbling upon a clearing to his liking, Vanderwood gently kicked a fallen tree before nodding, satisfied at its structure before brushing it off as much as he could and sitting down. Pulling his cigarettes out of the inside of his coat, he started to pack them, but after his second tap he heard a distinct grunt from his companion and looked up only to be slightly shocked by the sight before him. She had fallen unceremoniously onto the dirty ground, her arms wide and her eyes to the sky as she stared blankly ahead. The pale blue top and the white skirt she wore were now covered in dirt, her hands were gripping onto patches of grass as if she was trying to hold on for dear life, and a few twigs had made their way into her hair but she laid there without a thought to any of those things. The pack still in his hands, Vanderwood was motionless for a moment before she whipped her head to look at him and crossed her arms over her chest. 

“You don’t have to stop, it doesn’t bother me.”

“Sorry,” he said weakly, almost unsure if he could continue before she laughed, the sound of it not matching the vacant look she had on her face.

“I don’t mind, really. You gotta do what you can to de-stress.” She looked away and back up at the sky with that and he blushed a little, a little surprised at how similar their thoughts had been. Hitting it against his palm one more time, making it a solid three, he opened it up, pulled one out, and held it between his fingers, sliding the pack back into his pocket.

“Sure you don’t mind?” He asked, unsure of the last time he actually checked with someone before he started smoking.

“Nope, go ahead,” was all she said as she threw her arms back out, still looking up. 

Lighting up without any additional fanfare, he glanced over to her to see that she had been staring at him out the side of her eye, her gaze shifting back to the sky whenever he looked at her. The action repeated itself a few more times before he let out an exasperated, “What, you want a cigarette?”

“Can I?” she asked back immediately and he looked down at her, definitely not expecting her to take him up on his offer. He pulled the pack out as his response and held it out to her and she quickly stood up, shaking off as much dirt as she could before walking over to him. Looking down at her hands he pulled the pack back and opened it himself, reaching in and pulling out a cigarette before handing that to her.

She weakly smiled at this and he rose an eyebrow as she grabbed it from him. “You’re really that grossed out by uncleanliness huh?” she said tiredly, the first sign of emotion she had shown all night, before she sat down on the tree next to him and shifted to get comfortable. He pulled out the lighter and flicked it on, gesturing for her to light her cigarette, and she looked up with an appreciative smile as she leaned forward, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear as she lit the cigarette and then pulled back, taking a deep drag and exhaling. He snapped the lighter shut and put it back in his coat pocket before it fell silent again. After taking a drag of his own he quietly responded, “I’m not grossed out by dirt.”

“Then just me?” she said with a laugh as she looked back up to the sky. He opened his mouth, unsure of how to respond but she smiled as she turned to him. “I’m kidding.” She had gone back to being completely calm, even throwing out small jokes, and Vanderwood was completely thrown off by her once again. He wanted to comment on what he thought was her bizarre behavior, but she cut him off before he could speak.

“And thank you for the cigarette. Didn’t know I wanted one until you offered it and I am so grateful to have one.”

“I didn’t expect you to be a smoker to be honest.”

“Ah, not usually. But this occasion? Well, it’s called for. I don’t know what else could calm me down right now.”

Vanderwood chuckled as he nodded his head once, “You’re right about that.”

The only noise aside from the random rustling of leaves in the wind or chirps of some bugs close by was their steady breathing, Vanderwood coming up on the end of his cigarette while she continued to slowly smoke her’s. Pulling his coat towards him to get another one, he was a bit surprised to hear a soft “oh” from his unusual companion as she realized she was sitting down on part of it. Moving over quickly, she smiled apologetically at him as he pulled it back towards him, but her smile quickly turned to a scowl when she realized her skirt was caught on some bark and angrily pulled it away, tearing a part of it in the process on the stub it was caught on. 

“Your dress is going rip,” he started to warn but he was cut off aggressively.

“This isn’t a dress and more importantly it isn’t mine. It can be torn to shreds for all I care,” she shouted as she looked away furiously, taking a long inhale of the cigarette. Vanderwood’s expression didn’t hide his general interest, and slight shock, from her reaction and she exhaled a large cloud of smoke before grabbing onto her arms and leaning forward. “This outfit is Rika’s, the blonde who you saw in the dungeon. She’s V’s months dead wonderful and loving fiancée, but as you could see she is far from dead and far from loving.”

“I could tell just as much from her screaming, and from the state of that man,” Vanderwood responded and she sighed heavily.

“The RFA did nothing but sing praises of her over the past few days. It was overwhelming to be honest, to be thrust into this group and have them constantly talk about how wonderful she was, and how perfect V and her were together. I knew something was up the entire time, V’s responses always seemed a bit off, he constantly sounded like he was atoning for something, and I guess I was right in a way. I’m not a fool, although it was foolish of me to go to well, Magenta I guess, and I knew they weren’t AI characters, but I didn’t know that it was going to be this,” she had rambled on before pausing, taking the time to smoke as she gathered her thoughts before laughing bitterly. “This much bullshit,” she finished, looking over to him with a smile on her face that did not match the anger in her eyes.

Vanderwood looked away, pulling out a second cigarette and lighting it before he conceded, “I don’t know much of what’s going on, but you somehow manage to have the worst luck possible. Cults aren’t easy to deal with.”

“Hah hah,” she said dispassionately as she kicked lamely at a rock on the ground. “I’m just scared of what’s going to come next. We’re obviously not safe judging by Seven’s reaction, and I’m really concerned about what’s happening right now to the people who have put their faith in such a madwoman. Ray is sick, she had to have been torturing him for years, and that elixir, well, you’ve seen what it can do. Is she forcing people to consume that in a fit? Is she plotting something right now to get back at us? There’s got to be a reason why they wanted me to plan a large party, and I can’t stop thinking about what could possibly happen over the next few days.”

Her cigarette coming to the end, she took a final smoke and stamped it out on the ground as she exhaled. Vanderwood noted that she stamped out the cigarette on the ground and kept it in her closed fist, and he paused as they both fell silent again before he spoke freely, “It doesn’t help to worry about the future. You can only think about what’s happening right now, and your next move. You can think of endless possibilities but it’s not going to help to fixate on that.”

“I guess you’re right, I have no way of knowing what their next move is.”

“Exactly, so all we can do right now is take care of that mint haired man and try to figure out what Seven is up to. We have to be rational about all of this, especially when everything seems to be crumbling around us.” He stopped there, turning his head to glance at her and stopping in his tracks as he took in the look she was giving him, the first time he had seen her look remotely untroubled.

“Sounds like you’re speaking from experience,” she said as she sat upright, a small smirk playing on her lips but her eyes looking bright for the first time all night. Vanderwood couldn’t look away, the way she was being so open really striking him. He simply nodded, going back to smoking as she looked up to the sky.

Breaking the silence after a moment, she whispered, “I just can’t wrap my head around the sacrifices that V has made, and the way he continues to destroy himself. I understand that he wants to protect his friends, but he shouldn’t be doing this alone, there’s absolutely no reason for him to be doing this on his own. He hates himself so much, and it’s just heartbreaking.”

Years of being a secret agent had taught Vanderwood well, and he immediately realized that this was what was bothering her the most out of everything. Not that she nearly was poisoned herself, not that she had been deceived, but that V, a relative stranger to her, was astonishingly self destructive. “It hurts to see people not value their lives, doesn’t it?” He asked her, a little taken aback by his own openness as she looked at him, surprise on her face as she felt like he’d read her mind.

“He has so much to give, but he thinks he’s worthless. He’d rather throw it all away than ask for help, and I can’t lie, I’m a little infuriated by it. But it breaks my heart, and that makes me feel helpless and I can’t be that way now,” she said softly as she played with the hem of her skirt, pulling at the hole that had formed and watching it tear even further before stopping.

Vanderwood glanced at his cigarette and ashed it, the two falling silent again before he spoke out. “You’re insanely brave, and I don’t say that lightly. I almost wonder if something is off with you, the way you’re so willing to help others and the immense empathy you feel for everyone around you. It’s admirable.” He looked away, unwilling to look her in the eyes as he opened up, something incredibly rare for him to do, even around Seven. The only sound was from his inhale of the cigarette and the rustling of a squirrel in a tree nearby, and he was about to kick himself for even speaking before he felt her hand rest gently on his shoulder. Quickly looking her way, he was stunned by the smile on her face, warm and gentle and most of all, appreciative. 

“Thank you,” she said as she gave his shoulder a light squeeze, her smile becoming even softer as tears started to form in her eyes. “That’s incredibly kind of you to say,” she said again, taking a sharp breath in as she pulled back and wiped at her eyes, stopping the tears from falling.

Unsure of what to do, he just handed her his cigarette and she laughed, causing him to stiffen as he felt embarrassment creep into his system but she simply took it, took a drag from it, and handed it back to him, “Looks like it’s almost out, you can finish it.”

“You can,” he said blankly back but she shook her head. Sensing that was the end of it, he took it back from her and looked away, feeling his cheeks become slightly hot as he took one last drag from it before exhaling and stamping it out. Holding his hand out to her, she looked confused but he just nodded towards her hand, taking the cigarette butt out of it as she uncurled her fist and keeping it in his gloved hand. “Can’t leave a trace,” he said as he stood up and he heard a small chuckle from behind him before she stood up and by his side.

“Thanks again, for letting me join you. And rant.”

“No problem,” he said abruptly before he turned on his heel and started to head back towards the cabin. He realized though that he was leaving her behind and turned back, only to find her following behind. “You sure you’re ready to go back?”

She smiled again and nodded, “Yah. I should probably watch over V, and we should check in on Seven.”

Vanderwood just nodded in response and he turned back around and started walking, his unexpected companion quickly catching up to him as they walked in silence and made their way back towards the cabin. As the light from it came into view, Vanderwood paused and she followed suit, both taking a deep breath before looking at each other. The air was heavy, both could sense that they didn’t want to go in, but knew they had to, and before he started walking again he stopped when she held her hand out to him.

“By the way, I’m MC.”

He looked at her, down at her hand, and back and her, and he laughed loudly, dumbfounded at the realization that he had been conversing with her without knowing her name of all things. She too started to laugh at the ridiculousness of it, and after a few seconds they both stopped, a small smile forming on Vanderwood’s face for the first time all evening.

Taking her hand in his, he shook it firmly, surprised by the firmness in her own handshake and smirked, “Vanderwood.”

“Oh, I know. Seven couldn’t stop screaming it after all. Well, that and Mary,” she said as she started to walk to the cabin, smile on her face.

He stood there for a few seconds, an unknown feeling rushing through him as he watched her walk off, and before he knew it he was speaking without thinking again.

“Those clothes don’t suit you at all.”

She turned around sharply, a confused look on her face before she broke into a wide grin, “Right? Hopefully this cabin has something I can change into, I can’t stand to be wearing this another day.” She turned back and continued her march and he stood there a moment more, watching this enigma of a woman’s figure illuminated by the cabin as she walked ahead strongly, ready to face whatever challenge came next.

Hours before, he could only wonder what Seven was dragging him into. Now he could only wonder about MC, his curiosity piqued by the courageous, fierce woman with an immensely large heart.


End file.
